So let me
see if we can get this week’s News Blog out on time.
I’ve got to
say the end of this past week has been especially good musically, and certainly
for me, underline the fantastic talent that we have in South Yorkshire.
Friday
evening performing for a Fund Raiser for Rotherham Art Events was two young
Bands, Chicago Innocence a young Rotherham based Band, whose idea the
event was and in support from Doncaster came The Surrogates,
performing away from home for a “proper Gig” for the first time.
Chicago Innocence served up a diet of mainly covers, with the
odd self-penned Indie song thrown in for good measure. They have a fantastic big sound with brass
and keyboards mixing nicely with the traditional guitar line up, and a very
strong lead singer. I know that the boys
and girls play what they enjoy leading to what I’ve been told is a variable
play list and also making for an entertaining listening experience.
The Surrogates provided a total contrast serving up a set made
up of their own material. I love to hear
original material, especially from young Bands.
But it’s not easy for Original Bands to get the Gigs or develop that
following so essential to finding Gigs.
Confidence is the key, and The Surrogates five piece guitar and keyboard
set up certainly gave the impression of total confidence in what they were
doing. The music itself suggested to me
a fusion of Human League and Blur. From talking
to the Band I don’t think this was contrived, but merely reflected the music
they enjoy listening to themselves, and the lead singer has a voice to kill for
and so much like Phil Okey making a perfect fit for the music. However, a bit of work needs to be done on
the vocal musical arrangement and the use of harmonies – not easy, but if the
Band can produce work of this high standard then I’m sure that the vocal work
will come.
The Saturday night I was at the Bridge to hand out some
fliers………… job done……………. But really to take a look at Waiting
for Eddie. As it happens it
would have been a long wait on Saturday as Eddie was away, working, he told
Rachel.
But Waiting
for Eddie. This was one of their
first Gigs together as a Band and what can I say, they simply blew me
away. From the first chord they
attacked, and didn’t stop for half an hour of high energy punk. What makes the performance so impressive was
that 85% of the songs played were their own work, what’s more the songs all
worked wonderfully with biting lyrics to fit their biting guitar work. And also for ones so young they were
bursting with confidence although I know they must have been eaten by nerves
inside. And there is room for growth
and development.
A mistake
often made is that Punk is an undisciplined music form, but yet like anything
that looks or sounds so simple the drive and rhythm needs to be “together” if
it is to work and produce the right sound.
Waiting for Eddie are almost there, but need a little work especially in
getting the bass and drummer to listen to each other – it will come with
experience though. The undoubted stand
out was lead vocals / guitarist Em, a talent that needs to be nurtured and
encouraged – full of confidence – and full of creativity. The brilliant delivery reminded very much of
the early Pretenders and Chrissie Hynde in particular – with that I don’t need
to say more, stars of the future, who will be in great demand around the music
venues of South Yorkshire.
The starring
role of a former Gill owned Les Paul Copy was also very impressive and was played
with expertise produced a sound that even Gill probably didn’t realise it could
produce.
To keep Mrs
Masher happy I had to miss Papa Legba’s and head back to Rawmarsh and the
Club. Oh dear. There we had “The Future”, The
Advertiser says. It’s a Band I’ve seen
several times in one format or another and to be honest I’m not sure that they
are called The Future, as it’s a name that does not fit with a tribute / 80 /90
Band except with considerable irony.
The key
feature of the Band is that one morning the singer woke up and discovered that
his PA had an effects knob and so heavy effects on the vocal mic; reverberating so
much that the band clearly had to slow some of the numbers down, just to
cope. The first set, and I didn’t see
this one is normally Phil Collins and Genesis based, while the second set is
full of Eurhythmics and Erasia, AhHa etc: a guarantee of getting someone to
dance.
Some of the
numbers were brilliantly executed, but how much was a live performance and how
much was back tracked will of course remain a mystery. Sadly from my perspective 60% of the second
set was close to dire, and was only kept alive by the talented keyboard players
as the vocalist forgot words, and worse, basic melody lines…………….. and why was he losing melody lines? He was singing to the accompaniment. It was really quite funny.
The best
performed song of the night was the very last one, (no not for Masher reasons),
having started to break down, they had turned off some of the effects on the vocals,
and he had to work, proving that he didn’t need to use all the clever
electronics. Another example I fear of
how a diet of second rate stuff can become the best thing since sliced bread in
Club Land, as quite clearly the evening was enjoyed by all. Three call backs. All down to the play list and back tracking
or keyboard playing.
The
programme for Slamfest has taken
shape and you can find the full week of special events HERE Besides these special
events there is the usual host of Clubs and sessions going off around
Rotherham, and you can find those on our Listings Page HERE.
One
additional Concert has been added to take place at The Titans Social Club. Thursday 26th July when Cracktown
will be coming to Town joined by Swansong
and Crafty Jack. Tickets available HERE
All the
Stages and line ups are available for
Rock Rotherham Saturday, 28th July and we’ve created what we
think is a super Jukebox of Rotherham and District Bands on the Web Page HERE
Mick will be
publishing appearance times and general instructions to Bands for the day very
soon watch the Facebook Page HERE
The line-up
for Chill Out Sunday at the Queens
on Sunday 29th July should be available by the end of this week.
I’m sure
most of you will have seen the coverage that we got in “The Scene” on Friday as part of
The Rotherham Advertiser last week.
Brilliant, is all I can say and so refreshing for the local music scene
in Rotherham to get such a fine write up in the local paper even if it was
spoilt a little bit by an inappropriate photograph of Mick and The Masher. Given past moans from myself about the policy
of The Advertiser towards local art events, credit where credit is due.
Stragglers
have until Thursday to reserve
Advertising space in the Programme.
If any of the Bands is actually reading this, if you would like a small
write up about yourselves in the programme please also send them in by
Thursday.
Sponsorship
of Stages or donations can be accepted after that date……………. Lol
I don’t make light of our need for funds to mount this week long
Festival and the Month long Fringe Festival coming up in October. The more Partners joining us the
better. And besides the huge amount of
time that has been invested in the project, The Mashing Machine is also up for sale to help finance the
event. Last call before we head for the
dreaded Ebay, anyone wanting to talk around £1,300 will be listened to. Email Dickie HERE
I’ve seen
posters with the timings for the various
Stages today; I don’t think it will be long before Mick feels confident
enough to publish. We’ve both decided
that on publishing timings we’re going to escape Rotherham as quickly as we can
for two or three days while everyone fights it out.
I would
ask all Acts and Bands taking part in Slamfest / Rock Rotherham Saturday and
Chill Out Sunday to please help publicise Slamfest by listing in Gig listings,
and Mailings to their supporters.
And a
reminder that our Bands will be very busy over July with many appearing at Beanfest
and Tramlines
in the weeks running up to Slamfest,
OK and a mention for Bombfest to who were short-sighted enough to pick Slamfest
Rock Rotherham Saturday for their expensive day at the Mill. (he jests). Check out the Listings page for links to the main Festival site HERE
For the
acoustic and folk artists who think that I have deserted them. We’ve two stages as part of Rock Rotherham Saturday, The Exchange
(Used to be Yates Wine Bar (remember them?)) and of course across the road at
the Imperial Building, plus there is Chill
Out Sunday at The Queens on the Sunday.
John McCullagh, he who is living on the
other side of the World has a new CD out entitled “Working Class Low
Life”. If you can’t wait until John
performs at the Fringe Festival in October to get your hands on a copy of this
Album, then you can buy them on Ebay HERE
or link up with John at Facebook HERE and PM with your wish.
Another of
my favourite local Bands has an a CD out.
We were lucky enough to get Garforth
and Myers to appear at an Acoustic Rotherham where they were very generous
in handing out their demo EP CDs and now the full product is available. It’s another of those CDs that I want to get
my hands on – hint, hint – for passing onto Mr Kidman of course for him to run
his ears over what I know will be a masterful product. £10
HERE
A bit of
funding politics. ROAR have announced that they were, well we were, unsuccessful in
our bid to the Creative People and Places Fund. This is very disappointing, especially for
those who did the hard work at pulling together all the threads to write the
Bid. Apparently feedback is being sought
from the Arts Council as there is a round two.
I appreciate
that for some there was a big intake of breath when RAE announced that a
Concert would be dedicated to the Memory of Myke Barritt on his Birthday during Slamfest on 27th
July at The Bridge, and that it would be of the very best Punk Music. But never fear those who might wish a
quieter / or the Myke Birthday Bash type gathering, Roy has told me that one is
to be held at The Nottingham House, Broomhill, Sheffield. Not surprisingly The Masher was not invited,
but then the organisers may have thought I was busy elsewhere lol.
The eagled
eyed might have spotted that Slamfest features the Official Roy Blackman CD Launch. This is taking place at Myplace on Tuesday 24th
July with Paul Pearson and Keystone Acoustic providing the support. Should be a fantastic evening of music. Tickets are available HERE or can be reserved by using the Email address you can find on
that page. Listen out as Roy will be on RotherFM at some point over the next couple of weeks.
Busy week a
head folks. It’s The Red Lion, Braithwell, Folk Club tomorrow night. (Tuesday)
John will be in the Chair to guide you through another fine evening
of Folk Music.
On Friday
night at The Bridge the ROMPers will
be out and about, despite many heading to London for the Marxist Weekend and at
the same venue on Saturday my old mates Pocketful
of N’owt will be doing their thing in another fine evening of
entertainment.
Over the
weekend, fine supporters of Acoustic Rotherham and Rotherham Art Events, Storm Trees are on tour lol, playing
the Woodlands Club on Friday and The Yellow Lion Greasbrough on Saturday. No excuse for missing this fine Band in their
Electric line up.
Also on
Friday it’s Play On at The Rutland,
and the start of the Clerkheaton Folk
Festival which will run through the weekend…………………………….. I have not forgotten this year!
And all the
excellent live music can be found on our listings Page HERE
Until the
next time, have a great week, support
your local artists and KEEP IT LIVE.
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